Bathtub filler and shower appliance

ABSTRACT

A bathtub filler and shower appliance adapted to be mounted vertically on a wall adjacent a bathtub, the appliance having a tub filler spout on the lower portion, a shower head on the upper portion and a faucet means and a diverter valve between the spout and shower head. The appliance also has concealed ducts for connection to hot and cold water lines, and concealed ducts within the appliance interconnecting the faucet means, the diverter valve, the spout and the shower head.

States Arnold et al.

1-1] 3,827,088 Aug. 6, 1974 BATHTUB FILLER AND SHOWER APPLIANCE Don C.Arnold, Palatine; Richard L. Ritzenthaler, Crystal Lake, both of 111.

Inventors:

Assignee:

Filed:

Appl. No.:

Cranda C0rp., Alden, 111.

Oct. 24, 1972 US. Cl 4/192, D23/26, 4/DlG. 7 Int. Cl. E03c 1/042 Fieldof Search 4/173, 145, 146, l, 183, 4/191-194, DIG. 7; 52/34, 35; D23/25,26,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS l/l972 Killias 4/192 PrimaryExaminer-John W. Huckert Assistant ExaminerStuart S. Levy Attorney,Agent, or Firm-Edward U. Dithmar 5 7] ABSTRACT 5 Claims, 5 DrawingFigures 1 BATHTUB FILLER AND SHOWER APPLIANCE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION This invention relates to a bathtub filler and showerappliance adapted to be mounted vertically on a wall adjacent a bathtub.

Plumbing fixtures associated with a bathtub, such as tub filler spout,shower head, faucet or faucets and diverter valves conventionally aremounted individually on and in a bathroom wall adjacent the bathtub, andducts interconnecting the aforesaid plumbing fixtures are located withinthe wall and accessible from the side of the wall opposite the bathtub.Such bathtub fixtures are costly to install, and costly to repair orreplace. Further, installation, repair and replacement usually requirethe services of a professional plumber or other experienced individual.

One object of the invention is to provide a bathtub filler and showerappliance adapted to be mounted on the bathtub side of a wall adjacentthe bathtub, the appliance including all necessary plumbing fixtures.The only through-the-wall and behind-the-wall installation procedurerequired is connection of hot and cold water supply ducts to hot andcold water lines which usually are within or behind the wall.Installation by an unskilled user is accomplished readily.

Another object is to provide a bathtub filler and shower applianceadapted to be mounted on the wall from the front, facilitatinginstallation. The mechanism provided for mounting the appliance on thewall, following installation, is concealed from view, enhancing theappearance of the installed appliance.

Still another object is to provide a bathtub filler and shower appliancehaving an integral soap dish located in a position of convenience whichtends to conceal a joint between two parts of the appliance.

Another object is to provide on an appliance of the character describeda soap dish having a portion adapted to function as a grab bar for theconvenience and safety of the user.

Still another object is to provide a bathtub filler and shower appliancehaving unusually pleasing appearance and structural characteristicsaffording significant manufacturing economy.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention contemplates a bathtub filler andshower appliance comprising an elongated panel assembly adapted to bemounted vertically on a wall adjacent a bathtub. The appliance has a tubfiller spout on the lower portion of the panel assembly, a shower headon the upper portion of the panel assembly, a faucet means and divertervalve on the panel assembly between the spout and shower head, thefaucet means having supply ducts adapted to be connected to hot and coldwater lines, and ducts behind the front face of the panel assemblyinterconnecting the faucet means, the diverter valve, the spout and theshower head.

In more detailed aspect, the panel assembly of the appliance includes amounting plate adapted to be secured to the wall, lower and upper panelparts secured to the mounting plate, the panel parts each having anopening aligned with an adjacent end portion of the mounting platewhereby means securing the mounting plate to the wall may be manipulatedfrom the front of the panel assembly, and removable plug members forsaid openings. The plug members, of course, conceal the mechanism whichsecures the mounting plate, and thus the panel assembly, to the wall.

The adjoining ends of the lower and upper panel parts have an abuttingjoint, with the end of one of the panel parts being offset rearwardly toprovide an overlap of the two panel parts at the joint, giving the jointa water resistant characteristic.

The appliance in preferred form has a soap dish integral with the lowerpanel part, the soap dish tending to conceal the joint between the upperand lower panel parts.

The soap dish, if used, is so shaped andlocated on the appliance thatthe front wall thereof serves as a grab bar for safety and convenience.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of abathtub filler and shower appliance embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the appliance shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the appliance shown in FIGS. 1 and2.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the appliance.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view on line 55 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawing, abathtub filler and shower appliance embodying the invention is generallydesignated 8 in FIGS. l-3. Appliance 8 is adapted to be mountedvertically on the bathtub side of a wall 11 (FIG. 5) adjacent thebathtub.

Appliance 8 comprises an elongated panel assembly 10, later to bedescribed in detail, a tub filler spout 12 on the lower portion of panelassembly 10, a shower head 13 on the upper portion of assembly 10, and afaucet means 14 and a diverter valve 15 on assembly 10 between spout l2and shower head 13. In the illustrated embodiment, faucet means 14 anddiverter valve 15 are closer to spout 12 than shower head 13.

Diverter valve 15 forms the subject matter of copending US. Pat.application Ser. No. 308,805, entitled Diverter Valve for Liquids, filedNov. 22, 1972.

Elongated panel assembly 10, as illustrated, includes a mounting plate20 (FIGS. 3 and 5), preferably of metal and channel shaped, adapted tobe secured to wall 11 by means of mounting screws 21 (FIG. 5) or thelike extending through openings 22 (FIG. 3) located near the upper andlower ends of plate 20. The lower half length of plate 20 has twolongitudinally spaced pairs of laterally spaced bosses 23 (FIG. 3) andthe upper half length of the plate has two longitudinally spaced pairsof transversely spaced bosses 24, the bosses being inwardly offset fromthe face of the plate 20 adjacent wall 11, as shown in FIG. 5. Each ofthe bosses 23 and 24 has an opening for a purpose to be mentionedpresently.

Panel assembly 10 also includes a lower panel part 25 and an upper panelpart 26, preferably of molded plastic material, the two panel partsrespectively having rearwardly extending bosses 27 and 28 (FIG. 5)adapted to align with bosses 23 and 24 of mounting plate 20. Suitablemeans such as screws 30 firmly secure lower and upper panel parts 25 and26 to mounting plate 20, as best shown in FIG. 5.

Lower and upper panel parts 25 and 26 have an overlapping abuttingrelationship, there being an abutting joint 31 (FIGS. 1 and visible fromthe front and abutting joints 31a (FIGS. 2 and 3) visible from the side.As best shown in FIG. 5, lower panel part 25 at the top has a rearwardoffset 32 which overlaps the rear of the lower end of upper panel part26, providing joint 31 with a water resistant characteristic.

Still referring to FIG. 5, and secondarily to FIG. 1, lower panel part25 has a transversely elongated opening 33, and upper panel part 26 hasa similar transversely elongated opening 34. Openings 33 and 34, whenthe panel parts are mounted on plage 20, are in alignment with mountingopenings 22 at the ends of plate 20. Accordingly, mounting screws 21 forplate openings 22 are easily manipulated through panel part openings 33and 34 from the front of panel assembly 10.

Removable plug members 35 and 36, respectively, are provided to closeopenings 33 and 34 following manipulation of the mounting screws,thereby concealing the mounting mechanism and giving the appliance afinished appearance.

Appliance 8 optionally may have a soap dish 40 located in convenientposition intermediate the length of panel assembly 10. As illustrated,soap dish 40 is integral with lower panel part 25, and is so locatedadjacent joint 31 between lower and upper panel parts 25 and 26 thatfrom most points of view soap dish 40 conceals joint 31, enhancing theappearance of the appliance. Forward wall 41 of soap dish 40 by reasonof shape and location functions as an effective grab bar for the user,providing a safety feature of significance.

Referring to FIG. 3, faucet means 14 has rearwardly extending supplyducts 45 and 46 adapted to be connected to hot and cold water linesnormally present within or behind wall 11, these two water connectionsbeing the only ones which need to be made on installation. The otherducts which interconnect the fixtures of the appliance are factoryinstalled and are located within the confines of panel assembly 10.Thus, duct 47 extends from faucet means 14 to diverter valve and duct 48extends from diverter valve 15 to shower head 13. Diverter valve 15 hasan outlet duct 49 leading directly to tub filler spout 12.

From the above description it is thought that the construction andadvantages of this invention will be readily apparent to those skilledin the art. Various changes in detail may be made without departing fromthe spirit or losing the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A bathtub filler and shower appliance, comprising:

an elongated panel assembly adapted to be mounted vertically on a walladjacent a bathtub, said panel assembly having a front face portion andmarginal flanges extending rearwardly therefrom to engage the wall anddefine a space sufficiently large to enclose the portions of thefollowing elements disposed behind said front face portion;

a tub filler spout on the lower portion of said panel assembly;

a shower head on the upper portion of said panel assembly;

a faucet means and diverter valve on said panel assembly between saidspout and said shower head, said faucet means having supply ducts behindsaid front face portion adapted to be connected to hot and cold waterlines; and

ducts behind said front face portion of said panel assemblyinterconnecting said faucet means, said diverter valve, said spout andsaid shower head;

whereby the appliance is mountable on a wall without breaking into thewall except for an opening for said supply ducts.

2. The bathtub filler and shower appliance of claim 1 wherein said panelassembly includes a mounting plate adapted to be secured to the wall,lower and upper panel parts secured to said mounting plate, said panelparts each spaced forwardly of said mounting plate a non-adjustabledistance and having an opening aligned with an adjacent end portion ofsaid mounting plate whereby means securing said mounting plate to thewall may be manipulated from the front of said panel assembly, andremovable plug members for said openings.

3. The bathtub filler and shower appliance of claim 2 wherein theadjoining ends of said lower and upper panel parts have an abuttingjoint, the end of one of said panel parts being offset rearwardly toprovide an overlap.

4. The bathtub filler and shower appliance of claim 3 with the additionof a soap dish integral with the upper end portion of said lower panelpart, said soap dish substantially concealing the joint between saidupper and lower panel parts.

5. The bathtub filler and shower appliance of claim 1 with the additionof a combined soap dish and grab bar centrally located on said panelassembly, said combined soap dish and grab bar projecting forwardly ofsaid panel assembly and said grab bar constituting the front wall ofsaid soap dish.

1. A bathtub filler and shower appliance, comprising: an elongated panelassembly adapted to be mounted vertically on a wall adjacent a bathtub,said panel assembly having a front face portion and marginal flangesextending rearwardly therefrom to engage the wall and define a spacesufficiently large to enclose the portions of the following elementsdisposed behind said front face portion; a tub filler spout on the lowerportion of said panel assembly; a shower head on the upper portion ofsaid panel assembly; a faucet means and diverter valve on said panelassembly between said spout and said shower head, said faucet meanshaving supply ducts behind said front face portion adapted to beconnected to hot and cold water lines; and ducts behind said front faceportion of said panel assembly interconnecting said faucet means, saiddiverter valve, said spout and said shower head; whereby the applianceis mountable on a wall without breaking into the wall except for anopening for said supply ducts.
 2. The bathtub filler and showerappliance of claim 1 wherein said panel assembly includes a mountingplate adapted to be secured to the wall, lower and upper panel partssecured to said mounting plate, said panel parts each spaced forwardlyof said mounting plate a non-adjustable distance and having an openingaligned with an adjacent end portion of said mounting plate wherebymeans securing said mounting plate to the wall may be manipulated fromthe front of said panel assembly, and removable plug members for saidopenings.
 3. The bathtub filler and shower appliance of claim 2 whereinthe adjoining ends of said lower and upper panel parts have an abuttingjoint, the end of one of said panel parts being offset rearwardly toprovide an overlap.
 4. The bathtub filler and shower appliance of claim3 with the addition of a soap dish integral with the upper end portionof said lower panel part, said soap dish substantially concealing thejoint between saId upper and lower panel parts.
 5. The bathtub fillerand shower appliance of claim 1 with the addition of a combined soapdish and grab bar centrally located on said panel assembly, saidcombined soap dish and grab bar projecting forwardly of said panelassembly and said grab bar constituting the front wall of said soapdish.